Rogue
The SHIELD command center hummed with activity. Various agents and operatives moved around, reports being shuffled, and mission briefings taking place. But there was one conversation taking place that was louder than the rest, cutting through the chatter like a hot knife through butter.
"Rogue? A SHIELD Agent? That kid is like 14!" Steve Rogers' voice echoed through the room, the incredulity clear in his tone as he stood near the briefing table, looking at the report in front of him.
Fury didn't flinch. "Fourteen and more competent than your entire team."
Tony sat up straighter. "Oh, come on. You're telling me a bunch of teenagers—"
"SHIELD Agents," Fury corrected, his tone sharp. "These are operatives who've completed over a dozen black-ops missions, stopped three Hydra cells, and prevented a global catastrophe last month. So yeah, Stark, I'd trust them over you."
Tony Stark, standing at Steve's side, raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Not possible. I mean, she's 14. What could she possibly know about being a SHIELD agent?"
"Let me guess," Tony said, leaning closer, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "One of these kids hacked into the Pentagon? Oh wait, no—they built a web-slinging science project in their garage?"
Maria Hill, who had been silently observing from the back of the room, now stepped forward, her usual no-nonsense demeanor in full force. "Have you ever heard of 'Renegade'?"
The room went silent.
Steve looked at Maria, confused. "Renegade? Is that one of our new recruits?"
Maria gave a small, knowing smile. "Not quite. Renegade is one of the most dangerous teenage operatives in the world. Trained in the League of Assassins, and under some of the most ruthless combat instructors in the world, including Lady Shiva and Deathstroke."
Clint, who had been quietly leaning against the wall, couldn't help but smirk at the reaction they were getting from the fellow Avengers. "The assassin who was feared by even the most hardened criminals. The one who disappeared for years and left no trace—until she popped up as a SHIELD agent. That's Rogue."
Steve blinked. "Wait. So, you're telling me that a 14-year-old assassin, who's trained by some of the deadliest people on the planet, is working for SHIELD?"
"Exactly," Fury said, clearly enjoying the look on Steve's face. "She's an asset. An extremely valuable one. The world doesn't need to know how dangerous she really is, though. We like to keep her under wraps as much as possible."
Tony shook his head in disbelief. "I'm still struggling to wrap my mind around this. A kid—a teenager—is one of SHIELD's best operatives?"
Maria Hill crossed her arms. "When you're trained as an assassin since before the age of 3, you tend to mature faster than most. And don't forget, she has more kills under her belt than half the people you've worked with."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, but... she's 14."
"And more competent than your entire team," Fury repeated, not even attempting to hide his amusement now.
Steve ran a hand through his hair. "You're telling me this kid, Rogue, has trained with the best of the best, and now she's working under SHIELD's radar?"
Maria nodded. "You could say that. We're keeping her in a separate division—one that's specifically tailored to high-risk, high-reward missions. Her team is... unconventional, but they get results."
"Wait, wait, wait." Tony raised a hand. "This 14-year-old is an assassin trained by those monsters, and now she's SHIELD's youngest agent?"
Maria Hill nodded. "More or less. She was taken in by SHIELD at age 12 after a mission went awry. And within two years, she outperformed most of our senior agents."
Banner was silent for a moment, processing the information. "How did she end up on the radar of SHIELD?"
"Her 'conversion' happened when she saved Nick's life on a mission. We were investigating a Hydra base in the Middle East, and she was on the opposite side of the compound, working her own separate mission. When things went south, Rogue, without hesitation, neutralized Hydra's entire squadron and freed Fury. We couldn't ignore the talent."
"I still don't get it." Tony ran a hand through his hair. "She's 14. We have agents here with decades of experience. They're practically veterans. And she's... what? A prodigy?"
"That's an understatement," Bucky said dryly, arms folded. "She's a walking nightmare. Her skills are incredible. At 14, she's got the reflexes of an assassin twice her age. She can infiltrate any location, outwit any surveillance system, and neutralize a threat without leaving a trace. And that's just the tip of the iceberg."
"Let me guess," Steve said, voice laced with skepticism, "her 'team' is just as young, right?"
Fury nodded. "Project Dahlia. A handpicked group of young SHIELD agents that we've placed together. Rogue co-leads them. Their other leader, Robin, is another problem."
"Batman's kid?" Tony asked. "What's the story there?"
"Robin. 15 years old. Trained in the League of Assassins just like Rogue, but with a lot more... edge. They don't work with us for glory. They don't follow orders just because we say so. They're on a level of competence and independence that we don't see often in SHIELD."
Steve's expression darkened slightly. "A team of teenagers running their own missions? And you're okay with this?"
Fury met Steve's gaze. "I'm not okay with it. But they get results. They've saved the world a few times now, and we haven't been able to stop them. So now, we train them to be SHIELD's most dangerous operatives."
"Still don't buy it," Tony muttered, looking at the image of Rogue. "What's a kid like that even doing on a mission? She's too young for this."
Maria Hill's voice was firm. "You say she's too young, but when you see her in action, you'll think twice about calling her a 'kid.'"
Bucky leaned in. "And she's not the only one. The whole team is... unique."
Tony sighed, leaning back in his chair, clearly unconvinced. "I'll believe it when I see it. Bring her to me. Let's see what 'Renegade' has got."
Fury smiled grimly. "I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."
The war room doors opened, interrupting him. In strode Robin, all sharp glares and tightly coiled energy. The 15-year-old looked as if he'd already made up his mind about everyone in the room and decided none of them were worth his time.
Trailing behind him was the rest of Project Dahlia:
• Spider-Man, still bouncing slightly on his feet, his mask tucked under his arm.
• Spider-Woman, casually chewing gum and already eyeing Tony's tech as if planning to take it apart.
• Shadow, whose expression suggested she was already regretting coming.
• Rogue, who didn't even bother looking like she wanted to be there.
• Cipher, walking in with a laptop in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, looking thoroughly unimpressed.
Tony blinked at them. "You've gotta be kidding me."
"Why are we here?" Shadow whispered to Spider-Man as Fury, Rogers, and Stark continued to argue.
"No idea," Spider-Woman whispered back. "Maybe Fury wants us to make Stark cry again?"
"That was one time!" Spider-Man hissed.
"And it was hilarious," Spider-Woman added, barely suppressing her grin.
Rogue stood silently in the corner, observing Stark like a hawk. Finally, she spoke. "You think we can't handle ourselves."
Stark turned to her, folding his arms. "You're kids. If you were my kids—"
"We're not your kids," Robin snapped, his voice sharp as a blade. "And we don't need your approval."
"Okay, Bats Jr.," Stark shot back, narrowing his eyes. "Let's say you get cornered by someone like Thanos. What's your plan?"
"Kill him," Robin said flatly.
The room went silent for a beat. Even Fury raised an eyebrow.
"Kill him," Tony repeated, his voice dripping with disbelief.
"He's not wrong," Rogue said, her tone so matter-of-fact it sent a shiver down Tony's spine.
Stark stared at the ragtag group of teens seated—or sprawled—across the various surfaces in the room. Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Shadow, Cipher, Robin, and Rogue stared back, utterly unbothered by the incredulous look on his face. Fury stood off to the side, arms crossed, looking like this was a conversation he had already grown tired of.
"You're telling me," Tony said, his voice rising slightly, "that you've been going to class and running ops for Fury? Do you sleep?"
"No," the group said in perfect unison, without hesitation.
Tony blinked. "That was creepy."
"Creepy but accurate," Cipher said, barely looking up from his tablet as he continued to run a diagnostics check on their latest mission gear. "Between comms work, hacking, homework, and catching up on Robin's really weird reading suggestions, I get maybe four hours a night."
"They're not weird," Robin said, crossing his arms defensively. "It's important to study Sun Tzu and Machiavelli. Strategy is key."
"See? Weird," Cipher quipped.
Rogers turned to Fury, pointing at the group like they were an exhibit in some bizarre museum. "You're okay with this? This child soldier act you've got going on?"
Fury didn't even blink. "They volunteered. They're good at what they do. Better than most adults in the field, Rogers."
"Better than your Avengers?" Robin asked, his tone just on the edge of smug.
Fury didn't respond, but his silence spoke volumes.
"I'm sorry, I still can't get over this." Stark gestured wildly. "You're kids! You're supposed to be worried about algebra tests and prom dates, not—" He paused, flipping through the mission report he'd been handed. "—not taking down Hydra cells on your weekends off!"
"First of all," Shadow said, leaning back in her chair with her usual unimpressed expression, "we don't get weekends off."
"Second," Rogue added, twirling a knife between her fingers, "algebra's easy. Hydra's more fun."
"And third," Spider-Man chimed in, finally speaking up, "what were you doing at our age, Stark? Building death machines or something?"
Stark opened his mouth, then closed it. "Okay, you don't get to use that against me."
"Why not?" Spider-Woman asked innocently, swinging her legs over the side of the table she was sitting on. "You're the one who gave the 'great responsibility' speech when you dragged us into the superhero life, right? We're just living it."
"First of all, I didn't give that speech—"
"You didn't," Spider-Man interrupted, voice laced with venom. "Our uncle did. You just... decided to ignore it when it came to actually helping me."
The room went quiet. The tension hung in the air like a storm cloud.
Fury cleared his throat. "Stark, if you're done being appalled, I'd like to remind you that this team has a mission tomorrow. They've got work to do."
"Work?" Rogers scoffed, his disbelief turning to frustration. "You're not seriously letting them—"
"They're better than your Avengers," Fury said, cutting him off. "No egos. They get the job done. And they don't whine about it afterward."
"We do whine," Shadow corrected, raising a hand. "Just not to you."
Rogue snickered. Robin smirked.
Stark ran a hand down his face, exasperated. "This is insane. Do your parents even know what you're doing?"
Robins smirk vanished, replaced by a cold glare. "You should probably stop talking now."
"Yeah," Spider-Man said, his tone icy. "Let's not get into the whole 'parents' thing, okay?"
The silence that followed was deafening. The Avengers shifted uncomfortably under their collective stare, realizing he'd hit a nerve.
"Look," Fury said, breaking the tension, "you can stand here and moralize all you want, but the fact is, these kids save lives. They're not just running around in tights playing hero. They're doing the work your team couldn't."
Tony scoffed. "My team—"
"Failed to stop Hydra from infiltrating SHIELD in the first place," Shadow cut in, her tone sharp.
"Burned half of Sokovia into the ground," Spider-Man added cheerfully.
"Created Ultron," Rogue said with a shrug.
"And let Thanos waltz in and snap half the universe," Robin finished, his voice cutting like a blade.
Tony's jaw tightened. "I wasn't responsible for all of that."
"Neither are we," Spider-Woman said, his voice firm. "But we're cleaning up the mess anyway."
Tony stared at her, struggling for a response.
"Now, if you'll excuse us," Rogue said, standing and tossing her knife into the air before catching it effortlessly. "We've got a mission to prep for. You know, saving the world and all that."
The team filed out of the room one by one, leaving Tony standing there, shell-shocked.
"You should probably invest in therapy for that one," Fury said with a smirk before following the teens out the door.
Tony didn't respond. He just stood there, staring after them, wondering how the hell a group of teenagers had managed to make him feel so small.
Two days later
The Avengers sat in stunned silence as Nick Fury played the mission footage. The high-resolution feed displayed the chaos of the Hydra facility, viewed through the cameras embedded in Project Dahlia's masks.
Fury leaned against the table, arms crossed. "You're about to see why these kids are my best operatives."
The camera switched to Robin's feed as he moved stealthily through a dimly lit corridor, flanked by Rogue. Her movements were fluid, her blades reflecting the faint light as she twirled them in her hands.
"Left side clear," Robin said, his tone crisp and professional.
"Right side... Oh, not so clear," Rogue replied with a teasing lilt. She darted forward, her blade catching the throat mic of a Hydra soldier before they could call for backup.
Robin sighed. "You're reckless."
"And you're predictable, Habibi," Rogue shot back, smirking behind her mask.
Before Robin could reply, a squad of guards stormed into view. Rogue was the first to react, her blade flashing as she disarmed one and elbowed another in the stomach. Robin followed, his strikes precise and calculated, each movement a testament to his training.
"Rogue, behind you!" Cipher's voice rang out over the comms.
Without hesitation, Rogue spun, her dagger catching the knife aimed for her ribs. She drove her knee into the attacker's chest, but not before the blade nicked her side.
From Robin's perspective, the blood was obvious.
"You're hurt," Robin said sharply.
"It's nothing," Rogue replied, not even glancing at the wound as she flipped her dagger into a reverse grip.
"You're bleeding."
"And you're distracting me." She ducked under another swing and countered with a vicious strike. "Focus on the mission, Habibi."
Wanda leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "She didn't even flinch."
"She's a fully trained assassin," Fury said. "Pain doesn't stop her."
Tony crossed his arms. "You've got a fourteen-year-old trained to ignore stab wounds. That's... horrifying."
"Effective," Fury corrected.
The feed shifted to Spider-Man's view as he and Spider-Woman perched above a group of Hydra agents guarding a server room.
"Okay, Spider," Peter said. "We'll drop in on three."
"Or we could just go now," Spider-Woman replied, already leaping off the ledge.
"Wait—Spider!"
The screen showed Spider-Woman webbing one guard's feet, yanking him to the ground before flipping over another to kick him into the wall. Peter sighed and followed, his web shooters firing rapidly to disarm the rest.
"You always do this," Peter muttered, webbing a gun out of a guard's hand.
"And you always catch up," Penny quipped, sticking a Hydra agent to the wall. "We're a great team!"
Spider-Man shook his head but couldn't hide his smile as they planted a tracker on the server.
"Upload complete," Spider-Woman announced cheerfully.
"You're welcome for the assist," Spider-Man replied.
"Oh, you mean the assist I didn't need?"
Shadow's feed was next, her view moving through the facility like a ghost. She disabled a camera with a flick of her wrist and slid into a vent, her breathing calm and steady.
"West wing clear," she reported over comms.
"Four guards ahead," Cipher said. "Think you can take them quietly?"
"Watch me."
Shadow dropped from the vent, her movements precise and calculated. The guards didn't even have time to react as she neutralized them one by one, using a mix of pressure points and disarm techniques.
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "She's good."
"She's great," Clint corrected, impressed.
The final perspective switched to Cipher's command console, showing his multiple monitors. He tracked the team's positions, hacked security systems, and guided them through the mission.
"Rogue, Robin, move to the control room. Spiders, hold position until the data transfer is done. Shadow, proceed to the extraction point."
"Anything else, Cipher?" Rogue asked sarcastically.
"Yeah, don't get stabbed again."
"Too late," Robin muttered, glaring at Rogue through his mask.
"I'm fine," Rogue shot back, clearly annoyed.
"Sure you are," Cipher said, exasperated but impressed.
The footage ended with the team regrouping at the extraction point. Rogue was still bleeding but standing tall, Robin's glare boring into her.
"Mission accomplished," Cipher announced.
"Barely," Robin muttered.
"I'd say we crushed it," Spider-Woman chirped.
Fury paused the footage and turned to the Avengers. "Questions?"
Tony raised his hand. "Yeah. What the hell kind of training did you give them?"
"Most of them came trained," Fury replied smoothly. "But Shadow and the Spider Twins were trained by other vigilantes."
Steve frowned. "And this is safe?"
"Define safe," Fury said, his tone deadpan.
The Avengers exchanged uneasy glances as they process Project Dahlia's capabilities—and their youth.
"They're kids," Steve said firmly.
"They're agents," Fury countered. "And the best SHIELD has.